You have a real-time voice conversation with an AI Italian tutor, and you want it to feel purposeful rather than random. This page shows you how to prepare a short session brief in English: pick one goal, choose a situation, set the difficulty, and plan a review of the expressions you found hard. You will practise saying your brief aloud, guiding the role-play, and asking for repetition or clarification when needed. The focus is on what you can say to the tutor, not on any automatic features.
Write a short session brief before you speak
Before you start the voice conversation, write a brief in English. Keep it to three or four lines: one goal, one situation, one difficulty level, and one review request. For example: 'Goal: practise greeting someone politely and introducing myself. Situation: I arrive at a small shop in the morning and then meet a new neighbour. Level: beginner, please speak slowly and clearly. Review: at the end, help me notice which greeting or introduction phrase I struggled to say.' This brief is for you, not a script. When the session begins, say your brief aloud in English so the tutor knows what you want. You can say: 'Today I want to practise greeting someone politely and introducing myself. Please play the role of a shopkeeper and then a new neighbour. Speak slowly. At the end, help me review the phrases I found difficult.' The tutor will respond in Italian, and you answer in Italian. If you need a phrase, use the source phrases from the lessons you have studied. For example, if you have learned a polite morning greeting, use that phrase when the tutor plays the shopkeeper. If you have learned how to say your name and where you are from, use those phrases when you meet the neighbour. Do not invent new Italian sentences; rely on the phrases you already know from the audio lessons. The tutor's voice is live, so you can pause, think, and try again. If you get stuck, switch to English and say: 'I don't know how to say this in Italian. Can you help me use a phrase I already know?' This keeps the conversation moving without pretending the tutor can score your accent or remember your past sessions.
Handle the harder turn: when you cannot find the words
The hardest moment in a voice session is when the tutor asks something unexpected and your Italian stops. You have three reliable moves. First, ask for repetition or slower speech in English: 'Can you repeat that, please?' or 'Can you say that more slowly?' The tutor can adjust pace because it is a live voice conversation. Second, ask for help with a phrase: 'I want to say that I am sorry but I cannot come. Which phrase from my lessons can I use?' The tutor may then use a phrase you have already heard, such as a polite refusal, and you can repeat it. Third, simplify your own turn: instead of a long sentence, say one word or a short phrase you know, then add 'and you?' to keep the exchange going. For example, if you have learned how to ask where someone is from, use that question and then wait. If the tutor answers with a detail you do not understand, say in English: 'I understood the first part, but not the last word. Can you repeat it?' This is not a failure; it is how you keep a real conversation alive. At the end of the session, ask the tutor to help you review the moments you switched to English. Say: 'Please remind me of the Italian phrases I could have used when I got stuck.' The tutor can repeat the phrases from the lesson, and you can say them back. This review is a conversation, not an automatic report. You are building a habit: brief, speak, get stuck, ask, repeat, review.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
Buongiorno
Good morning / Hello (polite, morning to early afternoon)
bwohn-JOHR-noh
Buonasera
Good evening / Hello (polite, from late afternoon onward)
bwoh-nah-SEH-rah
Ciao
Hi / Bye (casual)
CHAH-oh
Salve
Hello (neutral, slightly formal)
SAHL-veh
Ciao, mi chiamo Marco.
Hi, my name is Marco.
CHOW, mee KYAH-moh MAR-koh
Buongiorno, mi chiamo Laura.
Good morning, my name is Laura.
bwon-JOR-noh, mee KYAH-moh LOW-rah
Sono americano/a.
I am American.
SOH-noh ah-meh-ree-KAH-noh/nah
Vengo dagli Stati Uniti.
I come from the United States.
VEN-goh dahl-yee STAH-tee oo-NEE-tee
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
Buongiorno, signora. Come sta?
Good morning, ma'am. How are you?Buongiorno. Sto bene, grazie. E Lei?
Good morning. I am well, thank you. And you? (polite)Molto bene, grazie. Arrivederci.
Very well, thank you. Goodbye.Arrivederci. Buona giornata!
Goodbye. Have a good day!Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Morning shop greeting and introduction
You are in a small shop in Bologna at 10 a.m. The AI tutor plays the shopkeeper. You want to greet politely, say your name, and ask where the shopkeeper is from. You have studied a polite morning greeting, a way to say your name, and a question about origin.
Your task: Start the voice session by saying your brief in English: 'Goal: practise a polite morning greeting and a simple introduction. Situation: I am a customer in a shop. Level: beginner. Please speak slowly.' Then greet the shopkeeper in Italian using the polite morning phrase from your lesson. Say your name. Ask where the shopkeeper is from using the formal question you have learned. Keep each turn to one short sentence.
Inviting a friend for coffee and negotiating a time
The AI tutor plays a friend named Giulia. You want to invite her for coffee, suggest a day and time, and respond to her counter-offer. You have studied an informal invitation, a way to suggest a specific day and time, a warm acceptance, a polite refusal, and a phrase to propose another day.
Your task: Say your brief in English: 'Goal: invite a friend for coffee and agree on a time. Situation: I call Giulia. Level: beginner. Please speak at a normal pace but repeat if I ask.' Then invite her in Italian using the informal phrase you learned. When she accepts, suggest a day and time using the pattern you practised. If she declines, respond to her counter-offer and propose another day. Keep your turns short and clear.
Meeting a new neighbour and reviewing difficulties
The AI tutor plays a new neighbour in your building. You want to introduce yourself, ask where the neighbour is from, and then review the phrases you found hard. You have studied greetings, introductions, origin questions, and polite goodbyes.
Your task: Say your brief in English: 'Goal: introduce myself to a new neighbour and ask where they are from. Situation: we meet in the hallway. Level: beginner. At the end, please help me review the phrases I struggled with.' Then greet the neighbour in Italian using a neutral or polite greeting. Say your name and where you are from. Ask where the neighbour is from. Use a polite goodbye when you finish.
Common questions
Can the AI tutor tell me if my pronunciation is correct?
The verified capability is real-time voice conversation with AI tutors. The tutor can respond to what you say and repeat phrases as part of the conversation, but it does not provide automatic pronunciation scoring or accent detection. You can ask the tutor to repeat a phrase so you can compare your own attempt, but treat that as conversation practice, not as an official assessment.
Will the tutor remember what I practised last time?
There is no verified persistent memory across sessions. Each session starts fresh unless you bring your own notes. Write a short brief before you start and mention what you want to review. You can also keep a list of phrases you found hard and say them aloud at the beginning of the next session to set your own focus.
Sources and further reading
- italian: hello and goodbyeChecked September 2026
- italian: introduce yourselfChecked September 2026
- italian: make plansChecked September 2026
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